WMU Opens Autism Diagnostic Center

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Michigan has a bottleneck when it comes to helping autistic children get help, but the opening of a new diagnostic center at Western Michigan University’s School of Medicine may ease the backlog a little. The earlier and quicker a child can get a diagnosis and therapy, the sooner they can begin to improve. Every child with autism is different, but with early intervention, they say 50% can go on to live normally, and the outcomes for another 40% are significantly improved. But there have been long waiting lists because of a shortage of people working in the field who were qualified.

“I think because it’s trying to meet a need that’s been woefully underfilled for the longest time,” said Dr. Nees Soares. He says the number of people diagnosed with autism is ever-increasing having been one in 68 children a few years ago.

“Data out of the CDC says one in 59 kids. That is astoundingly high,” he adds. Diagnosis from a certified center is required by insurance carriers to qualify for coverage.